The document defines science as a concerted effort to understand the natural world through observation and experimentation, emphasizing the importance of observable evidence. It distinguishes between observational science and experimental science, highlighting various examples from ecology, geology, and physics. Additionally, the document clarifies what science is not, differentiating it from art, technology, certainty, and religion.

1. What Is & Isn’t Science?
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback
Department of Geology, University of Georgia jschmied©2012

2. What is Science?
Science is the
concerted human effort
to understand, the
history of the natural
world & how the natural
world works.
jschmied©2012

3. What does Science use as the basis of
all scientific understanding?
Science uses observable,
physical evidence as the basis of
all scientific understanding.

4. How is Science
http://www.physorg.com/news84027776.html
Done?
a. Science is done
through
observation of natural
phenomena,
b. and/or through
experimentation … that
tries to simulate natural
processes under
benjaminsternke.typepad.com/.../f_madscience.jpg
controlled conditions.
jschmied©2012

5. 2 Types of Science:
Type 1:
Observational
Science
Example 1a
An ecologist studying the
distribution of Pitcher
Plants in a wetland.
Example 1b
An Ecologist
studying the growth
rate of Mink in an
island ecosystem.
jschmied©2012

6. Observational
Science
Example 2
• A geologist examining
the fossils in an outcrop.
jschmied©2012

7. Observational Science
Example 3
• An astrophysicist photographing
distant galaxies to determine the
formation of the Universe.
jschmied©2012

8. Observational Science
Example 4
• A climatologist sifting data
from weather balloons on
weather patterns.
jschmied©2012

9. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/images%5CChemistryLabSRL.jpg
2 Types of Science
Type 2:
Experimental
Science
Example 1
A chemist observes the
rates of one chemical
reaction at a variety of
temperatures to see
what patterns emerge.
http://portal.techhigh.us/Teachers/chapariana/PublishingImages/chemistry%20lab.jpg

10. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/science/15cern.html?fta=y
Type 2:
Experimental
Science
Example 2
• A nuclear physicist
recording the results of
bombarding a particular
type of matter with to see
what patterns emerge.
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/05/15/science/15cern_slidetwo.html

11. http://www.contractlaboratory.com/www/images/people/scientist_crystal.gif
Type 2:
Experimental
Science
Example 3
• A biologist observing the
reaction of a particular tissue to
various stimulants is
experimenting to find patterns
too!
jschmied©2012 http://www.kidsbiology.com/images/biologist-2.jpg

12. http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/17648/biologist.jpg
What are all scientists
attempting to do?
Observing and
Experimenting in order
to detect patterns in
nature.
jschmied©2012
http://asunews.asu.edu/files/images/Algae.jpg

13. www.puzzlehouse.com/astronomer.htm
Two things in common
amongst all scientists:
1. Making & recording
observations of nature
or of simulations of
nature, in order to learn
more about how nature
works.
2. Showing that old
ideas are wrong and
developing new ideas
may better explain
nature.
jschmied©2012 http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93353&rendTypeId=4

14. What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Art
Art is the attempt to express an
individual's feelings or ideas
about something in a way that
others find beautiful, graceful,
or pleasing
jschmied©2012

15. http://www.punaridge.org/doc/teacher/method/Default.htm
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Art
Science is the attempt to
make public and,
repeatable conclusions
about the natural world.
http://www.punaridge.org/doc/teacher/method/Default.htm
jschmied©2012

16. What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t
Technology
madassgamers.com
• Science doesn't make things.
Scientists generate knowledge.
• Engineers use scientific
knowledge to generate
technology.
iphone5unlock1.com
jschmied©2012

17. What Isn ’t Science?
Science is often
confused with Truth
and Certainty. It ’s
just not so…
Science Isn ’t Truth
• Most scientists seek Truth; they
don't know or generate Truth .
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia jschmied©2012
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

18. What Isn ’t Science?
Science Isn ’t
Certainty
• Scientists use evidence to
propose and test theories, knowing
that future evidence may change,
revise, or even reject today's
theories.
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia jschmied©2012
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

19. http://academics.hamilton.edu/asian_studies/home/TempleCulture.html
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t
Religion
• Science and belief
systems are very
different, in what they try
to do and in the
approaches each use to
accomplish their goals.
jschmied©2012
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
www.christchurchstellarton.ca/
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

20. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
What Isn’t Science?
Science Isn’t Religion
Science seeks to explain
the origin, nature, and
processes of the
physically detectable
universe.
http://blog.baliwww.com/wp-content/photos/palasari_church_1.jpg
Science’s underlying
assumptions are tested
and retested using
observable physical
evidence.
Ref: Dr. Bruce Railsback, Department of Geology, University of Georgia
Sheldon F. Gottlieb, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Alabama

21. The Three Basic Questions Science
Asks….
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml
#1 What’s there:
The astronaut picking up rocks
on the moon,
The nuclear physicist
bombarding atoms,
The marine biologist
describing a newly discovered
species,
The paleontologist digging in
promising strata, are all
seeking to find out…..
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/StarChild/sp
“What’s there?”
ace_level2/aldrin_big.gif
jschmied©2012

22. The Three Basic Questions Science
Asks….
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml
#2 - How does it work?
A geologist comparing the
effects of time on moon rocks
to the effects of time on earth
rocks,
The nuclear physicist observing
the behavior of particles,
The paleontologist studying the
locomotion of an extinct
dinosaur, all are asking…..
“How does it work?”
jschmied©2008

23. The Three Basic Questions Science
Asks….
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/nature/I3basicquestions.shtml
#3 How did it come to be this way?
Each of these scientists tries to
reconstruct the histories of their
objects of study.
Whether these objects are rocks,
elementary particles, marine
organisms, or fossils, scientists are
asking,
“How did it come to be this way?”
jschmied©2012

24. http://klabs.org/richcontent/MAPLDCon02/exhibits/rock1_medium.jpg
http://www.csb.yale.edu/userguides/graphics/ribbons/help/dna_rgb.gif
http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/gallery_admin/albums/cetaceans/killer/oo-48_orca.JPG